Food and Agriculture Organization

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Action to Unlock Commercial Fibre Potential Multi-Stakeholder Consultation

Held in Conjunction with the Intergovernmental Group on Hard Fibers and the Intergovernmental Group on Jute

Kenaf and Allied Fibers

Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, November 15, 2011

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College of Agricultural Sciences

Campus of Botucatu

BrazilCoordinator: Prof. Alcides Lopes LeãoCoordinator: Prof. Alcides Lopes Leão

E-mail: E-mail: alcidesleao@fca.unesp.br

55(14)3811-7257 - BRAZIL55(14)3811-7257 - BRAZIL

NATURAL FIBERS FOR COMPOSITES

APPLICATIONS

Proverbs

•  “Technology is dominated by two types of people: those who understand what they manage, and those who manage what they do not understand” Putt’s Law

We must fully understand the composites equation (matrix/reinforcements/load)

Opportunities forNatural Fibers

• Short Fibers• Long Fibers• Intercropping• By-products• Residues• Field Waste• Industrial Waste

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Base Bio vs. Base Fossil

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Triangulo de Campbell

NF Must be Sustainable

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United States: The Revis family of North Carolina

Food Expenditure for 1 week ≈ $342

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Egypt: The Ahmed family of Cairo Food Expenditure for 1 week ≈ $68.50

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Ecuador: The Ayme family of Tingo Food Expenditure for 1 week ≈ $31.55

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Chad: The Aboubakar family of Breidjing Camp

Food Expenditure for 1 week ≈ $1.23

NOT Competing with Food

• Preventing rural exodus• Using local labour forces• Environmentally sound• PROFITABLE for the growers as well as

for the industry• Biogenics versus Non-biogenics• Green Product / Green Process• Ecomenia (ecological + profitable)

CLASSIFICATION OF NATURAL FIBRESNATURAL FIBRES

PLANT ANIMAL

BAST LEAF SEEDS FRUIT GRASS

Flax(Linum Usitatissimum)

Hemp(Cannabis Sativa)

Kenaf(Hibiscus Cannabinus)

Jute(Corchorus Capsularis)

Ramie(Boechmeria Nivea)

Isora (Helicteres Isora)

Ananas(Ananas Bracteatus)

Sisal(Agave Sisalana)

Abaca(Musa Textilis Nee)

Curaua(Ananas Erectifolius)

Cabuya(Furcraea Andina)

Palm

Opuntia(Opuntia Galapagos)

Paja (Carludovica Palmata)

Jukka(Yucca L)

African Palm

Chambira(Astrocaryum Chambira)

Cotton(Gossypium)

Coir(Cocos Nucifera)

Kapok(Ceiba Pentandra)

Soya(Glycine)

Poplar(Populus Tremula)

Calotropis(Calotropis Procera)

Coir(Cocos Nucifera)

Luffa(Luffa Aegyptiaca)

Bamboo(Bambusa Shreb.)

Totora(Scirpus Californicus)

WOOLS AND HAIR

SILK

Sheep(Ovis Aries)

Alpaca(Lama Pacos)

Camel(Camelus Bactrianus)

Natural(Bombyx Mori L)

Spider Silk(Araneus Diadematus)

Goat(Genus Capra)

Horse(Equus Caballus)

Rabbit(Oryctolagus Cuniculus)

Vicuna(Lama Vicugna)

MINERAL

Asbestos

Glass

Mineral Wool

Basalt

Ceramic

Aluminium

Borate

Silicate

Carbon

WOOD

hardwood

softwood

Natural Fibers:• Taboa (Typha domingensis)• Sisal• Jute• Fique• Abaca• Pineapple• Curaua• Banana• Coir• Pulp & Paper sludge• Peanut shells and• Rice Husk

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Newcomers:

Piaçava

Imbira

Caroá

Totora – Huros at Lake Titicaca

Big Cat footstep nearby a curaua plantation

Curaua fruits where are extracted seeds for in vitro reproduction

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Curaua in

Consortium

with

Eucalyptus

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Chemical Composition of Some Vegetable Fibres

Main physical properties of cellulose based fibres compared with conventional synthetic fibres

Fibers Composition

Item Taboa Curaua Pineapple Banan

a

Coir

Extractives

Hot Water (%)

8.5 5.5 2.5 10.6 6.4

Lignin Klason

(%)

16.4 11.1 8.5 18.4 32.8

Holocellulose

(%)

71.3 81.2 89.0 68.6 58.4

Cellulose

(%)

35.0 70.4 82.4 64.2 44.2

Ashes

(%)

3.8 2.2 2.0 2.4 2.4

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Scientific and Technological Research?

50

35

15

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

Patents Papers Meetings

SciFnder

Important:

Proprietary

Technology

Make

available for

LDC

countries

Natural Fibers in Science• First publication word: 1892• Natural Fibers: 8945 articles and books• Natural Fibers Composites: 980• Biobased Composites: 94• Nanocellulose: 29• Patents: 4,400

So, reinventing the wheel?No: Aiming the State of the art!!!!!!!!

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Challenges Against NF• Mand made materials• Low technology image• Campbell Triangle• Wood cellulose• Pulp and Paper residues• Biofuel• LCA (Life Cycle Assessment)• Funding for R&D, (CNPq, FINEP and FAPESP)• People awareness (< 2%... Trex Corp.)• Social, Political and Economical Unrest• Subsidies and xenophoby• ....

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Itens Importance (Trex, 2011)

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Introduction

Global natural fiber composites market reached $2.1B in 2010, with compound annual growth rate of 15% in last five years

Automotive & Construction were largest segment among all natural fiber composite applications

Bast fiber such as flax, Kenaf, hemp, etc. were the material of choice for automotive, whereas wood plastic composite was most preferred by building and construction players

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Introduction

By 2016, natural fiber composite market expected to reach $ 3.8B (10% CAGR)

Rising prices of petroleum based products, strong government support to eco-friendly products, higher acceptance and positive growth of end use industries, new housing numbers will drive natural fiber composites growth to new horizon

Performance improvement in materials will drive growth for natural fiber composites in new application areas

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Evolution of Natural Fiber Composites

External Forces Shaping the Natural

Fiber Composites Industry

Growth Opportunities of Natural Fiber Composites